Wait, What Comes After College?

Aside from The Craft of Research, I have also been assigned to read through Getting from College to Career by Lindsey Pollak. The uncertainty of where I will be after this semester has been quietly eating away at me inside but what I have read of this book so far has really helped me with seeing that I am not the only one who feels this way. Pollak writes in a way that anyone can relate to and take something away from what they read. Here are some pieces of advice that I thought were insightful and would be helpful to others in my situation:

“You can never have too many people checking your résumé, cover letters, and any other professional correspondence. If your parents have good grammar and spelling abilities, ask them to check some of your career-related writing” (25).

This is definitely something that I plan on doing when I start to write my résumé and apply to “adult” jobs. I know that no matter how many times I read over something like an essay I have to hand in for a grade, I usually miss one or two mistakes. It is always better to have someone look over anything that is being handed in professionally or academically because what looks right to you might not come across as clear to someone else. Plus, my parents already have plenty of experience when it comes to getting a job; they have already gone through the process of looking for their first professional job and so they have an idea of what things employers might be looking for on résumés more than others.

“ . . . you don’t need a title or company or a fax number or even a street address to have a business card. All you need is your name, a phone number (which can be a cell phone), and [a] professional e-mail address . . . If you’re a student, it’s nice to include your university and year of graduation . . . “ (35-36).

It never really occurred to me to get a business card, probably because I thought I only needed one if I had an actual job that people cared about. According to Pollak, that is not the case. It is definitely easier and more professional to hand out a business card rather than say “hold on, let me write it down” and search frantically for something to write your information on other than a stained napkin or ripped piece of paper. I will definitely be following this piece of advice and purchasing myself some business cards so that when I start to attend events where networking is a possibility, I will be prepared.

“Create a profile on LinkedIn . . . LinkedIn has become the clear leader in professional social networking around the world . . . LinkedIn invites you to create a profile, but this one is 100 percent professional . . .” (42).

I can’t tell you how many times I heard my mom tell me to create a LinkedIn profile over winter break. Now it’s clear: I should create a LinkedIn profile for myself. I feel like since the internet and social media are used so frequently, it only makes sense that I would probably be able to connect with more employers with the addition of a LinkedIn account rather than without one. Honestly, it can only help and so once I have my résumé completed and finalized, I will be making a LinkedIn profile so that I can start networking successfully.

Until next time.

EMC

explore. muse. create.

Check out the insanely useful book Getting from College to Career here!